Minsk threatens to take gas destined for EU

David_18Threads: 111 Posts: 1,212 Joined: Jan 4, 07 ♂	Jun 22, 10, 11:30 #1
The Belarusian government has threatened to start siphoning off natural gas destined for customers westward to make up for the reduction of gas deliveries to the country, Sergei Kupriyanov, spokesman for Russia's Gazprom, told reporters in Moscow on June 22, BelaPAN reports. Should Poland and Germany take this seriously? http://naviny.by/rubrics/english/2010/06/22/ic_news_259_333527/

1jolaThreads: 33 Posts: 2,737 Joined: Sep 23, 08 ♂	Jun 22, 10, 12:33 #2
Since 60% of our gas comes through Belarus, it is of concern. Lukily, we have one of the best negotiators in this field and Minsk should empoy him right away. You guessed correctly - Waldemar Pawlak - Gazprom's man in Warsaw. Premier Putin said that should this affect Poland and Germany, Russia can send gas through Ukraine. Their beef is with Belarus only.

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07 ♂	Jun 22, 10, 13:45 #3
Belarus are small fry. He thinks he is high and mighty being a dictator. If they get in the way, there will be serious repercussions I would imagine.

1jolaThreads: 33 Posts: 2,737 Joined: Sep 23, 08 ♂	Jun 22, 10, 13:55 #4
Why are you assuming Russia is right on this one? They owe Belarus money.

♂

Edited by: Bratwurst Boy Jun 22, 10, 14:47 #5

Seanus:

Belarus are small fry. He thinks he is high and mighty being a dictator

1jola:

Why are you assuming Russia is right on this one? They owe Belarus money.

Spiegel writes that Belarus is in dept to Russia already about 192 Billion Dollar.
At first Belarus accepted the dept and asked for two weeks to get the money.
Russia offered Belarus to pay in naturalia but Belarus declined. Again Minsk threatens
with cutting the pipes to western Europe. Lukashenko saying "Russias demands are humiliating
the belarussian people"!

http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/0,1518,702125,00.html

Now Russia says western Europe will get their stuff through the Ukraine...it's strictly between
Russia and Belarus.

My opinon: Someone is trying to play the victim card to not having to pay up...and it's not Russia.

1jolaThreads: 33 Posts: 2,737 Joined: Sep 23, 08 ♂	Jun 22, 10, 15:09 #6
Bratwurst Boy: Someone is trying to play the victim card to not having to pay up...and it's not Russia. I have read something different this morning but it has been modified since. Russia's debt for transit fees were over 200 biliion. I'm sure the first liar in this fight doesn't have a chance. Anyway, Gazprom can't wait two weeks?

Bratwurst BoyThreads: 11 Posts: 14,563 Joined: Apr 2, 07 ♂	Jun 22, 10, 15:10 #7
1jola: Anyway, Gazprom can't wait two weeks? Yeah...that would made them look better surely!

1jolaThreads: 33 Posts: 2,737 Joined: Sep 23, 08 ♂	Jun 22, 10, 15:16 #8
EU must take into account that Russia 'negotiates' from a 'hey, we'll turn off the tap' position. Muscle politics.

Bratwurst BoyThreads: 11 Posts: 14,563 Joined: Apr 2, 07 ♂	Edited by: Bratwurst Boy Jun 22, 10, 15:21 #9
1jola: EU must take into account that Russia 'negotiates' from a 'hey, we'll turn off the tap' position. Muscle politics. Better Belarus would take that into account in the first place and pay up what they owe! And why didn't they accept the russian offer to pay in naturalia (whatever that means) if they don't have the money but declare that offer as "humiliation"?

1jolaThreads: 33 Posts: 2,737 Joined: Sep 23, 08 ♂	Jun 22, 10, 15:32 #10
It probably means other natural resources. We will not know the real deal there, but Ukraine had a similar problem recently.

♂ [Suspended]

Jun 22, 10, 15:53 #11

1jola:

Why are you assuming Russia is right on this one? They owe Belarus money.

No Jola they dont.

1jola:

We will not know the real deal there, but Ukraine had a similar problem recently.

In Ukraine it was Ukrainian mafia feuding with Russian mafia with Russia muscling Ukraine into the line, in Belarus its a bit simpler, Belarus owes Russia money and pulls claims out of its arse to avoid paying.

1jolaThreads: 33 Posts: 2,737 Joined: Sep 23, 08 ♂	Jun 22, 10, 15:55 #12
You probably know how much of a fan I am of both of those gangster run countries.

SokratesThreads: 19 Posts: 4,464 Joined: Jan 19, 09 ♂ [Suspended]	Jun 22, 10, 16:41 #13
1jola: You probably know how much of a fan I am of both of those gangster run countries. Ya but we aint getting rid of them anytime soon, when you live in a gutter you learn to enjoy the smell of dung...

♂ [Suspended]

Jun 22, 10, 16:43 #14

1jola:

EU must take into account that Russia 'negotiates' from a 'hey, we'll turn off the tap' position. Muscle politics.

As they should. It's a business, and businesses should demand prompt payment of the agreed terms.

If someone doesn't pay me for my services, then I turn off the tap too. Where's the logic, or indeed sense in continuing to supply someone who isn't paying you?

If I don't pay the electricity company, they cut off my supply.

♂

Jun 22, 10, 17:30 #15

All those buzz is not about gas itself, it is more about oil export customs duties (or what it is named in English). In the past, Belarus got all their oil duty-free, and then reexported a lion share of it after processing, making a huge profits (I heard about $2 bn/yr or so). Starting from Jan 1, Russia offered to supply 6.3 million tons of oil per year to Belarus duty free (it is approximately equal to complete internal consumption of Belarus) and everything extra - with regular Russian duties, as for export. Lukashenko goes crazy about this, just processing of oil does not make superprofits by itself... Not so easy to lose such amount of free money...

David_18Threads: 111 Posts: 1,212 Joined: Jan 4, 07 ♂	Jun 22, 10, 23:25 #16
1jola: You probably know how much of a fan I am of both of those gangster run countries. You mean the mafia countries!!!!!

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